Air-lift pumping system



Dec. 24', 192%).v

' R. E. c. MARTIN AIR ALIFT PUMPING SYSTEM Filed sept.. 1. 1927 Patented Dec. 2, 1929 ori-ica T0 SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS AIR-LIFT PUMPING SYSTEM Application flied September 1, 1927. Serial No. 218,959.

My invention relates to air lift pumping systems, and particularly to means for removing the excess head in starting an air lift pump.

An object of my invention 4is to provide an improvement in an air lift pumping system. Another object is to provide improved means for controlling anauxiliary pumping element. A further object is to provide improved means for operating an auxiliary pump to automatically remove the excess head when the working pressure is insufiicient to operate the main pumping element. Other objects and advantages will, however, subsequently more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes'of illustration one form which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,- y 1 Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing the essential elements of an air lift pumping system with my improvement associated therewith.

F ig. 2 is a sectional view of the preferred form ofautomatic valve which I employ for controlling the auxiliary pump.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown i in Fig. 1 the usual elements for obtaining the working Huid in an air lift pumping system comprising a compressor 1 for supplying compressed air or other gas to a receiver tank 2, from which the actuating fluid for one or more pumps may be taken. Obviously any other source of compressed fluid may be utilized for operating the pumping system. A riser pipe 3 is submerged below the level of liquid in the well for conducting the li uid to the surface of the ground, and attache tothe top of this pipe is an umbrella defiector meml ber 4 and a receiver tank 5 from which an outlet pipe 6 may lead to any desired point. The actuating fluid `is supplied from the tank 2 through a line 7, which is controlled by a valve 8. to the main down pipe 9 and main pumping element 10 disposed adjacent the lower end of the riser pipe. The foot piece or pumping element 10, as well as the liquid receiving means at the top of the well may usual construction, as no specific construction of these parts is essential to the invention.

be of any i For the head, for a purpose of pumping off the excess as when the pump has remained idle considerable period of time, I have provided an auxiliary pumping element 11 disposed in the riser pipe 3 at a higher level than the element 10, and actuatin fluid is supplied to this auxiliary pumply) means of a line 12, which may be connected7 to the main line 7, and an auxiliary down pipe 13. The means for controlling the flow in the auxiliary line 12 may assume various forms, but the preferred embodiment of this control means comprises a valve generally designated as 14 which is similar to one familar form of pressure reducing valve. This valve is ofthe diaphragm controlled t pe having a: valve stem 15 connected to a diaphra m 16 which 1n this instance is urged upwar by a spring 17. It will be observed that this spring normally tends to hold the valve in its closed position but is adapted to be actuated to open position when the main line pressure rises above a predetermined amount, and for this purpose the space above thediaphragm 16 is connected by way of a pipe 18 directly to the main line 7.

In operation, assuming that the pumping system has remained idle for a considerable length of time, the liquid will have risen in the discharge pipe to some such level as indicated by A, which may produce such a high hydrostatic head on the umping element 10 that the air pressure will be insufficient to overcome the same and therefore the main i pump will fail to start. Pressure in the main line 7 will then rise to the receiver tank pressure, and the automatic valve will be so adjusted that it will open at this pressure and admit air through the auxiliary line 12 t0 the auxiliary pumping element 11. This action will continue until the head is reduced to such an amount thatv the pressure in the main down pipe 9 will be suficient to overcome the hydrostatic head on the pumping element 10, and start the main pump. The flow of air in the main line'will then be fairly rapid and its pressure Will be reduced a correspondingamount. When-the pressure in the main line is llowered'in this manner to a predetermined'point,the automatic Valve will be shifted to closed position and cut oil' the supply of actuating fluid to the auxiliary pump and the 'system continues to operate in normal manner. 'As a result of my invention it will be apparent that byl a very simple arrangement the auxiliary pump is made to operate automatically toreinove the excess head whenever the level is too high to permit the main pump to be operated, and as soon as this head has been reduced to such an extent as to permit operation of the main pump, the auxiliar line will be automatically closed and thereby afford the greatest possible economy -of motive fluid.

While I have in this applic-ation specifically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an air lift pumping system, a liquid discharge pipe, a main pumping element, an auxiliary pumping element located at a higher lever than said main pumping element, a source of pumping fluid, a main supply line leading from said source to said main pumping element, a separate auxiliary supply lineA leading from said source to said auxiliary pumping element, and an automatic valve mechanism` embodied in a single unit comprising a valve in said auxiliary line, a fluid actuated element continuously supplied with pressure fluid direct from said main 'line and c connected directly to said valve yfor opening the same when said elefment is subjected to pressure above a predetermined point, and means opposing said fluid actuated element whichv serves to hold said valve closed except when overcome by a predetermined high pressure on said element.

2. In an air lift pumping system for wells, a liquid discharge pipe, a main pumping element located near the bottom of said well, an auxiliary pumping element at a higher lever than said main pumping element, a source of pumping fluid, separate main and auxiliary lines leading to said main and auxiliary pumping elements respectively from said source of pumping fluid, an automatic valve mechanism arranged above the ground, said mechanism comprisin a controlling valve connected in said auxiliary line, a pressure fluid actuated element connected directly to said valve, a direct connection from said main line to said element for continuously subjecting the same to the pressure in said main line, and means opposing said element to hold the valve closed until overcome b v a predetermined high pressure acting on said element.

valve connected in said auxiliary line or conc,

trolling flow of said auxiliary pumping element, and a direct connection from said main line to the diaphragm of said valve for continuously subjecting the same to pressure in said main line, said diaphragm valve having means opposing the action offsaid diaphragm so as to hold the valve closed except when `the diaphragm is subjected to a predetermined high pressure.

4. In an air lift pumping system, a liquid discharge pipe, a source of pressure fluid, a main pumping element, a main pressurefluid line leading thereto from said source, an auxiliary pumping element arranged at a higher level than the main pumping element, means for su pplyingpressure fluid thereto for pumping oil' an excess head comprising aseparate auxiliary line leading from said source, a valve 1n said auxiliary line, a spring acting directly on said valve intending to hold it in closed position, a diaphragm act.

ing directly o n said valve for actuating it to open position whensubjecting it to the predetermined highl pressure, anda direct connection leading from said main line to said diaphragm whereby the latter is coninuously subjected to pressure in the main ine.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT E. C. MARTIN. 

